Overview
- After a 3-0 start the Raiders have dropped three straight games and fallen back to .500 following the October 18 loss to the Buffalo Bills, a stretch that exposed their weak second-half starts.
- The team has been outscored 52-26 in the third quarter this season and has gone three-and-out or worse on the first drive of the second half in five of six games.
- Kubiak has adopted the mantra “Close. Games. Out.” and named three specific priorities — third-quarter performance, breaking tackles, and red-zone finishing — while directing coaches to simulate halftime in practice to sharpen third-quarter scripts.
- Defensive takeaways have plunged from nine in the first three games to one in the next three, reducing extra possessions that previously helped the offense overcome situational issues.
- The run game and short-yardage work are under review as Ashton Jeanty’s yards-after-contact have slipped and rookie Mike Washington Jr. is getting more reps, with the front office watching performance before the November 10 trade deadline.